Switch guard



April 27 1926.

E. w. BASTIAN SWITCH GUARD 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 13 1925 O 4 8 7 z 5 O! M m y T M H I o 1 4 W4, Afi M i m My 3 4 2 I Km 0 Z 7 3 I z n 6M7 I Z a d .2 0 8 5 O gwuntoz April 27,1926.

E. W. BASTIAN SWITCH GUARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 13. 1925 Patented Apr. 27, 192$.

rarest EDWARD W. BASTIAN, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

SWITCH GUARD.

Application filed April 13, 1925. Serial No. 22,892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. BASTIAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Switch Guard, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a switch-guard.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described specially designed for attachment to the instrument board of a motor vehicle for the purpose of enclosing the ignition switch, said device including a shutter equipped with a combination lock by means of which the shutter may be locked in closed position so as to protect the switch against any unauthorized interference, or opened, by one in possession of the lock combination, to gain access to the switch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guard, of. the character described which will he ornamental in appearance, and may be cheaply constructed and easily installed, and while specially adapted to guard the ignition switch of a motor vehicle, may also be used for other similar purposes.

With the above and other objects in view this invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, opera-.

tion and arrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 shows a front elevation of the guard.

Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view thereof.

Figure 3 shows an inside elevation ofthe shutter, showing the lock mechanism, and

Figure t shows a fragmentary cross sectional View of the'guard showing the lock in released position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 designates the instrument board of a motor vehicle, which carries the ignition switch 2, adapted to be operated by the usual removable key 3.

The guard is attached to the instrument board 1, and includes a surrounding casing which surrounds the-switch 2 and a concaved, or cup-shaped shutter 5, hinged at one side to the casing, and adapted to be locked in closed position.

The margins of the shutter fit within the casing 1, when the shutter is closed, and the shutter is adapted to be locked in closed position by means of the plunger 6 which works through the plunger bearing 7, of the shutter, and is adapted to engage in the plunger slot 8 of the casing when in locking posit;on.-

The plunger 6 is formed of a relatively thin metallic plate of right angular formation, thus forming a pressure surface 9 against which the free ends of the flat springs 10, 10, press. These springs are attached to the upper and lower end walls 11, 11 of the lock frame. This frame is rectangular in form, and is composed of said end walls 11, 11, and the side walls 12, 12. One of said side walls lies alongside the free end of the shutter 5, thus forming said end double ply, and the other side wall extends transversely of the shutter, and is spaced from the hinged end thereof, thus forming a chamber 13, into which the key 3 extends, thus making it possible to close the shutter while the key is in place in the switch 2.

The inner edge of the plunger plate is overturned, at right angles to the surface 9, thus forming the lip 1%, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

There is a plunger actuating rod 15 which has hearings in the end walls 11, as well as in the upper wall of the shutter. The upper end of this rod has a hand grip 16 by means of which it may be turned. This rod is located between the part 9, of the plunger, and the front side wall 12, of the lock frame.

The rod 15 carries a pressure plate 17 which is adapted to operate against the plunger to withdraw the same from the plungerslot 8, when it is desired to unlock, and open the shutter.

There is a vertical rod 18, mounted in the lock frame. Loosely mounted on this rod there are a plurality of ratchet wheels 19, four being shown 1n the present mstance.

These ratchet wheels may be independently" rotated, in a constant direction, by the hand operated, spring seated plungers, 20, 21, 22, and 23, respectively.

These plungers work through suitable.

hearings in the free end of the shutter and also through elongated bearings, .as2 i, in the web 25, of the lock frame. Their inner ends are-pointed to engage the ratchet teeth,

and they are held in position to so engage said teeth by the flat pressure plates 26, while the oblong bearings 2% permit the inner ends of said plungers to have the required lateral movement required to efiect the partial rotation of the respective ratchet wheels. Each operation of a plunger efi ects a partial rotation of the corresponding wheel 19, and these ratchet wheels are confined to a one way rotation by the flat springs 27, which are anchored at one end, to the opposing side member 12 and whose free ends ride on the-ratchet teeth of the wheels 19 and successively engage behind said teeth as the wheels are rotated.

Fixed to the hubs of the respective ratchets 19 are the detent discs 28, graduated to correspond to the teeth of the corresponding ratchet wheel. Each disc 28 has a marginal notch 29. Said notches 29, of the respective discs must align in order to receive the lip 1st in order to permit the withdrawal of the plunger 7 from its slot 8, in order to unlock the shutter.

In order to lock the shutter the same may be closed and one of said discs given av partial turn through its corresponding plunger, thus bringing its notch 29, out of alignment with the other notches and the-- plunger 7 will thus be locked against release until this disc is turned on around untilall of said notches 29 again align. This may be accomplished by successive actuations of said operated plunger until said notches align, provided none of the other plungers have been interfered with, so as to disturb the alignment of the other notches 29. If this has happened the discs 28 will all have to be actuated to starting point, as hereinafter defined, and then operated in accordance with a predetermined combination, as hereinafter described, to again align said notches.

Clamped to the hub of each disc there is a stop 30. These stops are clamped rigidly to their respective hubs, but are capable of adjustment, in order to change the combination required to release the lock and permit its operation.

There is a push rod 31, slidably mounted in suitable bearings in the ends 11, 11 of the lock frame, and mounted on the yieldable seat 32. This rod extends up through the top of the shutter 5 and is formed with a push knob 33 on its upper end. Fixed to this rod, within the lock frame, there is a stop plate 34. This stop plate has the marginal notches 35, normally aligned with the corresponding stops 30, so as not to inter- "ere with their rotation. lVhen the alignment of the notches 29 is disturbed it may become necessary to align the discs in starting position and this is accomplished by depressing the push rod 31 so as to carry the notches 35 out of alignment with the stops 30. The push plungers 20 to 23 are then operated successively until the discs 28 are stopped by the stops 30 coming into contact with the stop plate 3%. The plunger 31 is then released and the plunger-s 20 to 23 then operated in succession, in accordance with the required combination to align the notches 29 with the detent lip l t and the plunger 6 may then be withdrawn, and the shutter opened. It is to be observed that the combination may be changed at any time, by a suitable adjustment of any, or all, of the stops 30.

To illustrate it may be assumed that the given combination is 1, 2, 3, Now ii it be desired to lock the shutter it may be closed and either of the plunger-s 20 to 23 actuated. The corresponding disc will be carried around until its notch 29 is out of alignment with the other notches 29, and the disc so turned will lock the plunger against release. If it now be desired to unlock the shutter the disc, so turned, may be moved on around, by actuating its plunger until its notch again aligns with the other notches, so as to receive the detent lip 1- and the plunger 6 may then be released. It, in the meantime the other discs 28, have been disturbed, the rod 31 must be depressed and all of the discs 28 brought to starting position, as above explained. By then actuating plunger 20 once, plunger 21 twice, plunger 22 three times and plunger 23 "four times according to the given combination, the notches 29 will be aligned and the lock may be released by the rotation of the release shaft 15.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A. guard of the character dcscriln-d including a casing, a shutter hinged thereto. a lock mechanism carried by the shutter and including a plunger, the casing being providcd with means adapted to interlock with the plunger when the shutter is in closed position, yieldablc means normally holding the plunger in said interlocking position, a plunger actuating rod adapted to release the plunger from said interlocking means and a plunger locking disc adapted to enbehind the plunger to lock it against release.

2. A guard of the character described including a casing, a shutter hinged thereto. a lock mechanism carried by the shutter and including a plunger, the casing being provided with means adapted to interlock with the plunger when the shutter is in closed position, yieldable means normally holding the plunger in said interlocking position, a plunger actuating rod adapted to release the plunger from said interlocking means. and a plunger locking disc adapted to be actuated into one position to lock said plunger against release thereof.

3.11 guard of the character described including a casing, a shutter hinged thereto, a lock mechanism carried by the shutter and including a plunger, the casing being provided with means adapted to interlock with the plunger when the shutter is in closed position, yieldable means normally holding the plunger in said interlocking position, a plunger actuating rod adapted to release the plunger from said. interlocking means, a detent lip carried by the plunger, a plunger locking disc formed with a marginal notch, said notch, when aligned with said lip, being adapted to receive the lip to permit the release of the plunger, and means for rotat ing the disc to carry the notch out of alignment with said lip, said disc, when in said ast named position being ada ated to lock 'ainst said plunger lip and preven the rel see of the plunger.

4. A guard of the character described including a casing, a shutter hinged thereto, a lock mechanism carrieo by the shutter and including a plunger, the casing being provided with means adapted to interlock with the plunger, when the shutter is in closed position, yieldable means normally holding the plunger in said interlocking position, a plunger actuating rod adapted to operate against said plunger and to release it from the interlocking means, a plurality of discs adapted to lock against the rear side of the plunger and each formed with a marginal notch, said notches when aligned forming a seat adapted to receive the plunger to permit its release from interlocking position, and means for rotating each disc, to bring said notches into, or out of alignment.

5. A guard of the character described including a casing, a shutter hinged thereto, a lock mechanism carried by the shutter and including a plunger, the casing being provided with means adapted to interlock with the plunger, when the shutter is in closed position, yieldable means normally holding the plunger in said interlocking position, a plunger actuating rod adapted to release the plunger from said interlocking means, a plurality of rotary locking memb rs, adapted to engage with and lock said plunger against release, each member having a marginal cut away portion forming a plunger seat and adapted when in alignment to receive said plunger to permit its movement into released position and means for independently rotating said members to bring said cut away portions into or out oi alignment.

6. A guard of the character described including a casing, a shutter hinged thereto, a lock mechanism carried by the shutter and including a plunger, the casing being provided with means adapted to interlock with the plunger when the shutter is in closed position, yieldable means normally holding the plunger in said interlocking position, a plunger actuating rod adapted to release the plunger -from said interlocking means, a plurality of discs adapted to lock against the rear side of the plunger and each formed with a marginal notch said notches when aligned torming a seat adapted to receive the plunger to permit its release from interlocking position, means for rotating each disc to bring said notches into, or out of alignment, stops carried by said discs and a stop plate adapted to be actuated into or out of alignment with said stops.

7. A guard of the character described including a casing, a shutter hinged thereto, a locking mechanism carried by the shutter and including a plunger, the casing being provided with means adapted to interlock with the plunger when the shutter is in closed position, yieldable means normally holding the plunger in said interlocking position, a plunger actuating rod adapted to release the plunger from said interlocking means, a plurality of discs adapted to lock against the rear side or" the plunger and each formed with a marginal notch said notches when aligned forming a seat adapted to receive the plunger to permit its release from interlocking position, means for rotating each disc, to bring said notches into. or out of, alignment, stops carried by said discs, and a yieldably counted. member formed with spaced abutments adapted to be actuated into, or out of alignment with said stops.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDl/VARD XV. BASTIAN. 

